Sole molding form



July 26, 1932. MQ DODGE 1,868,526

SOLE MOLDING FORM Filed Oct. 18, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 26, 193.2 M. L. DODGE 1,868,526

SOLE MOLDING FORM Filed Oct. 18. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lex! f Iii/7777.

Patented July 26, 1932 lUNITED STATESl MILTON L. DODGE, F NEWBUBYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS SOLE HOLDING FORM Application Med-October 18, 1928. Serial No. 142,317.

This invention relates to sole molding forms, and, while not restricted to such use, has been developed more particularly for molding the soles of turn shoes after the shoes have been turned but while the soles are still in temper, as in the process disclosed in my Patent No. 1,537 ,419 granted May 12, 1925 for Turn shoes. monly made sole molding forms have been lm made as` solid blocks, a separate form being required for each size and style of shoe and for lefts and rights.

According-to the present invention the forms are made sectional so that certain special parts only are required for the different sizes and styles of shoes, the main portions of the forms being utilizable in connection with any of those parts specifically adapted for specific sizes and styles. In certain instances also, as for example in my patented process hereinbefore referred to, separate parts for rights and lefts are not required.

According to this invention an integral, generally last-shape support is employed having a cut-out portion at the shank in which may be fitted any of a plurality of interchangeable shank blocks each having a desired shank contour, this last-shape support having a forepart portion to which any of a plurality of sole forepart forming mem'- bers of the desired size and shape may be fixed interchangeably. Preferably also this last-shape support has a cut away heel portion shaped to receive any of a plurality of heel blocks interchangeably. Where a flat or substantially ilat forepart form is usable, as in connection with my patented process, the forepart forms used need only be turned upside down to change from rights to lefts or vice versa. Means may also be provided for automatically drawingthe shoe back on to the form when it is placed thereon.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 show in perspective forepart and shank blocks respectively.

Figure 3 is a perspective of the last-shape support showing a heel form in position thereon.

As heretofore com! Figure 4 is a. fragmentary central longitudinal section through a pair of cooperatlng forms, the shoe being shown between them.

Figure 5 is a detail section on line 5-5 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but illustrating a shank block of different contour.

Figure 7 is a perspective of a heel form. 60

Figure 8 is a perspective of a combined shank and heel seat form.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective of the supporting block to receive the form shown 1n Figure 8.

.Figure 10 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 4, but'illustrating the use of shank member and stiifener in connection with the molding operation.

Figure l1 is a fragmentarvertical, lon- 70 gltudinal section through a rm showing a modification.

Figure 12 is a detailed section on line 12-12 of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a detailed section showing a 75 modlied forepart form and taken along the line 13-13 of Figure 10.

Referring to these drawings, at 1 is indicated a generally last-shape support having its shank portion cut away to form a recess 2. Engageable in this recess interchangeably are shank blocksI one of which is shown detached at 3 in Figure 2. The lower face of each of these shank blocks is cut to fit in the recess 2. As shown best in Figure 4, the rear end of each shank block may be provided with a central dowel 4 which may engage in a suitable perforation or socket 5 in the support to hold the rear end of the shank block firmly in its correct posi- 00 tion when the block is inserted in the recess, and the forward portion of the shank block may be provided with a pair of'projecting dowels or pins 6 and 7. The support 1 may be provided with a perforation or socket 10 05 to receive the lower pin or dowel 6, the upper member 7 projecting over the forepart face 12 of the support.

In order to provide for easy removal of any of the shank blocks, as when it is desired to interchange these blocks, the support 1 may be provided with opposltely dlsposed finger recesses which Will permit the finers of the operator to engage the under face of the shank blockv toward its rear end so that it may be lifted to disengage 1ts dowel 4 from the socket, whereupon 1t may be pulled rearwardly to disengage the dowel 6 from the socket 10. The forepart portion 12 of the support may be provided with an upwardly extending post for the purpose of holding in position any one of a plurality of forepart members 21H.V These forepart members may be ofvarious shapes and sizes, and as shown are substantially flat plates. Each of these forepart members has a perforation 22 which may take over the post 20 and a notch 23 at its rear end engageable with the element 7 of any of the shank forms which may happen to be in use seated 1n the recess 2. The post 2O and the perforation 22 are so placed that the forepart fprms orplates may be placed in position either side up thus to provide for rights or lefts, the notch 23 taking over the elements 7 1n either of these ositions. These forepart forms may be o various sizes and shapes, several of these being indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1. It will thus be seen that any of the shank forms may be associated with any of the fore art forms.

Each of the shank orms has a contour corresponding tothe contour of the shank which it is desired to form. In Figures 2 and 5, for example, the shank form is shown as provided with a rounded central portion 30, while in the form shown in Figures 6 and 4 the corresponding part of the shank form is shaped to a relatively sharp angle as shown at 31. It is also preferable to cut out at the heel end ofthe support 1 to receive any o'neyof a plurality of heel forms 40, one being shown detached in Figure 7. These heel forms may have various contours and be of various lengths in the lengthwise direction of the sole of the shoe to be molded, this being indicated bythe dotted lines in Figure 7. In

order to hold such a block in assembled relation with the support, it may be formed with dovetail lin portions 41 engaging in a suitable inortice in the heel end face of the support 1, as indicated in Figure 3. As shown best in Figure 4, also, the lower end of the recess for receiving these heel forms is substantially parallel to the upper falceof the form, thus to present a shelflike portion 42 against which the lower end of any of the heel forms may be supported, thevupper face of the heel form presenting a continuation of the heel seat face 43 of the support.

The proper heel, shank, and forepart forms having been assembled on the support 1, the shoe is placed therecver and an upper form 50 shaped to bear on the lower face of .the S016,

as shown as 32, throughout the forepart, shank and heel portions of the shoe being brought down afrainst the sole which is pressed between tlie upper and lower forms. Vhile in ordinary practice the soles of turn shoes are not flat from side to side in finished condition, nevertheless for molding purposes as such moldinr is carried out in the patented i process, hereinlbefore referred t0, a forepart form entirely flat from side to side is quite suitable, the slight rounding of the sole being produced thereafter by the usual relasting operation and even if no relasting is used quite satisfactory results are produced in the normal course of drying of the sole after the molding operation has' been completed. Should it be desired to mold the sole forepart with a lateral curvature, the forepart form may be made thicker at the center than at the edges, as illustrated in Figure 13. As this desired curvature is more pronounced adjacent to the edges of the sole, the support made may be narrower than the narrowest forepart form to be used therewith, and the upper face of the support may be only slightly concave. As this concavity is not excessive, the forepart forms may usually be made reversible, and the curvature will ordinarily be .satisfactory for a large variation in forepart forms. Such a construction may be plarticularly suitable when leveling McKay s ces.

In order to draw the shoe back on the form automatically so that the forepart form bears evenly on the upper adjacent to the sole, means such as shown at 60 in Figure 3 may be rovided. As therein shown a curved memer preferably formed of metal and somewhat the shape of a shoe horn is pivoted to the support 1 as by ears 61 thereon engagin over pins 62 projecting from the support, an the upper portion of this member 60 is pressed rearwardly from the upper face of the support, as by means of a coil spring 63 seated at its inner end in a socket in the heel end of the support and bearing against the inner face of the member 60 above its pivotal connection with the support. This member 60 may be pressed inwardly by the hand of the operator in order to permit the shoe to be placed over the support and after the shoe is pulled downwardly therecver, this member, being released, presses against the shoe upper at the heel end of the shoe and causes the shoe to be pushed rearwardly to properly engage the sole molding faces with the shoe sole. Since the support 1 with its sole engaging portions properly centers the turned shoe, it is unnecessary that the upper molding member 50 shall fit tightly thereagainst about the edges of the shoe, consequently, so long as the shank portion is correctly shaped and is correctly related angularly to the forepart portion, the outer edge of this form is not restricted to the size or shape of the shoe sole being lil can

. of the molding machine.

molded, so long as it is suiiiciently large tp extend over the entire sole. Consequently one upper form 50 may be used in connection with a variety of combinations of the molding faces of the lower form. It is thus unnecessary to kee a large assortment of these upper forms, ami) due to the interchangeability of the shank forepart and heel moldingportions of the lower form, a considerable saving is effected in the number and sizes of the forms required for a completely' equipped shop over former constructions. Moreover, those elements which are required to be in such number as to conform to the various styles and sizes are'comparatively light and small, and hence do not occupy the space or involve the considerable weight where it is necessary to provide entirely separate and complete-forms for each of the various styles and sizes and for rights and lefts.

The importance of reducing the number of generally last shaped supporting blocks will be more apparent by reference to Figure 3 in which is shown the manner in which such a form or block is supported in a molding machine. This block is formed with a laterally extended base portion and is provided with a hole 71 bored upwardly from its lower face. This hole form-s a socket to receive a pin projecting upwardly from the machine on which the form is to be used. The toe end of the base 70 is also provided with a hole 72 bored therein for the reception of a plug 73 slidable through a lug 74 upstanding from the machine. The pin which fits within the hole 71, and the plug 73 are in fixed relation on the machine base and consequently the holes 71 and 72 must be drilled in exactly the right relationship, and the lower face of the base 70 must be machined exactly to the proper shape so as to bring the molding surface portions of the form into exact relation, so that they may be properly cooperated with the upper form. which is also fixed to a portion Where a separate form is necessary for each size of shoe, and for rights and lefts, a very considerable amount of work is entailed in properly forming up the bases and drilling the holes with sufficient accuracy. Where the number of forms which must be thus machined is reduced materially, as may be done with applicants construction, it is thus apparent that a very great saving in labor and expense is effected.

In some cases it may be desirable to use a single form for determining the contour of a shoe shank and heel seat portion. For example, this may be particularly suitable for the leveling of McKay shoes. In Figures 8 and 9 a combined shank and heel seat form, and a supporting block therefor have been illustrated. The supporting block indicated at is cut away from the forepart at 81 rearwardly to receive the combined shank and heel seat form 82. In order to hold this form in position, a dowel 84 may be fixed to the upper face of the heel seat portion of the block 80 and fit within a'suitable socket of the form element 82.

In order to prevent the removal of the shoe from the form from pulling the shank and heel seat form with it, it is preferable to in cline the dowel rearwardly. The lower edge of the form 82 may be provided with doWels 6 and 7 like those shown on the shank form in Figure 2.

It may sometimes be desirable to mold the sole after the shank and shank stiffener are in position; for example, as described in my atent hereinbefore referred to. Where this is desirable, the shank form, or combined shank and heel seat form, whichever may be used, is formed with a fiat upper face as shown at in Figure 12. The shank sti'fener 91 and the shank piece 92 then fill out the contour which it is desired to give to the inner surface of the sole at the shank, as shown at 93 in Figures 10 and 12.

In place of cutting in sharply to form a recess to receive the shank molding element, the supporting block may be otherwise formed to receive this element, for instance as shown in Figure 11. Referring to this figure it will be seen that the shank portion of the block is cut away from the forepart along Ja gradual slope as at 101 and that the lower face of the shank form is shaped accordingly. Particularly where this is done, but also suitable where the shank portion is cut away sharply, the forepart form or plate may be extended the full length of the forepart, as indicated in Figure 11. The forepart form therein is shown at 102 and its rear end overlaps the forward end of the shank form 103. This forepart form is shown as fixed to both the block 100 and shank form by means of the dowels 104 projecting from the supporting block, anddowel 105 projecting from the shank form. As the rear end of the forepart form as herein shown is not perpendicular to its faces, this forepart form 102 will not be reversible for rights and lefts, and if the dowels 104 and 105 are inclined to the perpendicular to the surface of the forepart form, it is evident that they would not properly engage the forepart form should it be attempted to reverse it. If such reverse is desired, the dowel pins should extend perpendicular to the faces of the forepart form, and for best results the Arear edge of this forepart form should also be perpendicular to its upper and lower faces. `While, as shown in Figure 1l, the shank form also includes a heel seat form portion, it is evident that such heel seat form portion might be separate therefrom, as for example,l as illustrated in Figure 3.

Having thus described certain embodiments of this invention, it will be evident to and modifications imight be made therein sole rearwa without departing `from its spirit or scope as defined by the appended claims.

I claim l 1. A sole molding form comprising a generally last shaped integral supportin block, and a moldin member shaped to mol a shoe A y only of the forepart and forwardly only of the heel seat carried by said block.

2. `A sole molding formcomprising an integral generally last shaped block insertablewithin a shoe,V and a member for formin the shank ortion only of the shoe associable with sald block.

3. A vmolding form comprising a block of generally last shape having a. recess at its shank portion, a shank form engaging in said recess, and a plate shaped to the contour -of the forepart of a shoe, said plate, block and shank form being formed complementally and said plate reversibly whereby said late may be held either side up in assemled relation to said block and present a continuous surface with said shank form seated in said recess.

4. A molding form comprising a block of generally last shape having a recess in its shank portion, a shank form engaging in said recess, and a reversible plate shaped to the contour of the forepart of a shoe, said plate and block being formed complementally whereby said plate may be held in assembled relation to said block either side up and present a continuous surface with said shank form seated in said recess.

5. A molding form comprising a block of generally last shape having a recess at its shank portion, a shank form engagin in said reces, and avreversible plate shape to the contour of the forepart of a shoe, said plate, block and form being formed com lemental- 'ly whereby said plate may be hel in assembled relation to said block either side up and present a continuous surfacewith said shank form seated in said recess, the adjacent faces of said plate and shank form being formed to interengage. l

6. A form for molding a shoe sole insertable within a shoe and havin separable surface members one of which 1s reversible.

7. A form for molding a shoe sole insertable within a shoe and having separable surface members one of which is reversible, said separable members having interengaging portions.

8. A formfor molding a shoe sole insertnature.

MILTON L. DODGE. 

